What To Do While You’re Visiting Hayward, California

Hayward, California is located in Alameda County, in the southeastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area. It’s closest neighboring city is Oakland. It’s a historic area, once known for it’s robust agriculture and canning industries. In fact, up until the mid 1980s, Hayward was the home of Hunt’s canned products. The locals would say that the air smelled like tomatoes for three months out of the year, while tomato canning production took place.

If you’re going to visit Hayward, below is a listing of attractions in and around the city.

Golfing

There are three golf courses in Haywood. There’s Stonebrae, which features 18 holes, cooking classes, tennis lessons, and hiking. Skywest features a pro shop, practice ranges, and a bar and grill. Mission Hills is a simple, nine hole course managed by the local Park and Recreation District.

Hayward Regional Shoreline

The shoreline is a 145 area marsh, along with five miles of graveled trails along the shoreline. You and your family (If you’re traveling with family), can enjoy a host of outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, birdwatching, picnicking (Although there are no picnic tables in the area), and fishing–except in the marsh areas. Those who are 16 years and older must purchase a California State Fishing License.

Hayward Dog Park

This is a friendly place to walk with your dog. The park is designated as an “On leash” park. You should look for signage that provides directions, and designations for dogs in the park.

Sulfur Creek Nature Center

This is a rehabilitative center for wildlife, which features an educational center for children, and wildlife camp. Families can picnic in designated picnicking areas

Japanese Gardens

Hayward’s Japanese Gardens are located near the downtown area, and it’s the oldest traditional Japanese Garden in California. The Gardens provide a peaceful tourist attraction for those looking for a quiet stroll. Weddings are often performed in the gardens.

Alternative Transportation

If for some reason you’re not able to drive your vehicle, or if you don’t want to drive, you can take advantage of the Bay Area Rapid Transportation, or BART, which is a subway system that connects all the cities in the Bay Area. There’s also the AC Transit bus system, which services all of Alameda County, along with Contra Costa County. Hayward does have a general aviation airport, but the major airport is located in Oakland.

Popular Streets And Nightlife

If you’re looking for the cool places to hang out while in Hayward, you’re going to want to visit the bars, clubs and grills that are primarily located either on Mission Blvd., or B Street. That’s where you’ll find a variety of venues, ranging from pubs, “dive” bars, lounges, sports bar and grills, and other specialized venues. A notable bar is The Bistro on B street, which features live music. The locals also like to visit Shirlene’s Iron Horse, on Meekland Ave., for cheap beer and a round of pool.